August w



AUGUs'r vv. ALMQvIsT, or

LONG ISLAND OITY, AND EUGENE G. OONRADSON, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN REFRIGERATORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 121,037, dated November 21, 1871 antedated November 4, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, AUGUST W.ALMovrsr,l

of Long Island City, Queens county, and `EUcrErUr G. OONRADsoN, of Brooklyn, both in the State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in Reigerators, of which the following is a specification Ourinvention has for its objects-First, to save, or better to utilize, ice in a refrigerator by aiding its cooling effect by the absorption and evaporation of water. Second, to produce proper ventilation for carrying off warm and foul air from the interior. Third, by a convenient arrangement to facilitate the using, handling, and cleaning of the same. To effect this, the Walls or sides of the box are made double, consisting of an exterior plate of (preferably) porous clay, the lower edge of which is secured water-tight to the bottom flange of an interior metallic plate, (preferably of zinc,) forming a space between the two plates, to be filled with water. On the top edge of the inner metallic wall rests aplate or platform, provided with air-holes and elevated at its center, upon which is placed the ice, which, in melting, discharges its Water into the Water-space in the double walls. The box has no bottom, but rests with the lower edge of three of its sides on a loose platform provided with legs, to which platform the fourth side is hinged, and, when raised, serves as a door to the refrigerator. This platform and the cover of the box are provided with ventilators.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure l represents a sectional elevation of our improved refrigerator taken through the lines x :v of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, partly in section, taken through the line y y of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the ice-plate. Fig. 4 shows a mode of constructing the clay-plates for large reigerators, to facilitate their transportation, viz., in sections, bolted together with Indiarubber packing between their iianges.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A is the exterior wall of the refrigerator, made of porous clay or other suitable porous substances, whole or in sections, according to requirement. B is the interior wall, made of zinc or other suitble metal, and provided with a bottoni' flange, a, to which the wall A is secured in a water-tight manner. This maybe effected by llinga groove,

b, on the ilange a with Portland cement and inserting therein the lower edge of the wall A. By this construction is produced, all around the interior, the water-chamber, C. On top of the Wall B (which is lower than A) is placed the ice-plate D, made of galvanized iron, zinc, and wood, or other suitable material. This plate D has an elevated plain surface, c, on which is placed the ice, and inclines l on three\\sides of the said plane, over which inclines the water produced by the melting of the ice trickles down into the water-chamber C instead ofthe interior, as is the case in ice-boxes heretofore constructed, from which chamber O it is absorbed by and finally evaporated on the exterior surface of the outer wall A. The evaporation makes heat latent 5 the sensible heat of any substance placed in the interior E is gradually conducted through the Zinc to compensate for that thus given oif from the Water, a new portion of which is absorbed and evaporated. Thus an even and lowtemperature is kept up in the box by the loss of inexpensive Water, and a great saving of ice is edected. The plate D is perforated at its edges with notches or air-holes e, provided With elevated ridges f, which latter prevent the Water of the melting ice from running into the ice-box proper, E. F is the cover, made non-conducting in the ordinary manner, and provided with a valve or ventilator, g. The ice, being placed in the upper part of the ice box, cools by radiation the surrounding air, which, thus becoming more dense, sinks, while the warmer air below rises, passing through the air-holes e, and when the valve g is open escapes to the outer air. Thus a constant circulation of air may be produced, obviating the unpleasant smell usually met With in refrigerators. Any heavy foul gases, may be removed and rapid circulation of air effected, when required, by opening the valve h in the platform G under the ice-box. H H are shelves supported on lugs attached to the Walls B of the interior E. Thus far described, the ice-box consists of only three sides and cover, but Without front Wall and bottom. This three-sided box is placed in a recess, I, (of the same perimeter as the box,) on the Wooden platform G, which is supported 011 wooden legs, and to which the fourth side, or front, or door J of the box is hinged in such a manner that when turned down it will rest in a horizontal position on the swinging leg K, hinged to the door J so as to assume a vertical position under` the said door J' When lowered. In this position the door J, serves as a table, on which may be placed the matters to be preserved While arranging them on the shelves H. For large refrigerators the doorJ need not occupy the Whole front of the box, and may be, preferably, hinged t0 the platform G with only one hinge at the lower end, the door openin g sidewse. L is a dischargecock for emptying the chamber C when not in use. The Whole interior of the boXbein g thus laid open every part thereof is accessible, and the manipulations of inserting or removing and arranging substances in or from the box and cleaning the interior are thereby rendered easy and convenient. The recess I and door J are lined with zinc and rendered non-conductive With charcoal in the usual manner.

Having thus described our invention, what We claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The Water-chamber C formed by the combination of an interior heat-conducting metallic Wall, B, and an exterior porous and water-absorbing Wall A, 011 the outer surface of which latter Wall the Water evaporates, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

2. The ice-plate D, constructed as described, in combination with the Water-chamber C, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

3. The combination of the recessed platform G, serving as bottom to the box, and the door J hinged thereto, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

AUGUST W. ALMQVIST. EUGENE G. CONRADSON.

Witnesses WM. G. MGNAMARA, 

